Llangollen or south down the Shroppie?

[Arthur Marshall]

If you do Chester, think hard about bothering to go down the staircase into the basin, unless you want a run to the Boat Museum. I never bother any more, it's noisy down there from the pub (fine if you like late night music). Good moorings as you come into Chester, quieter than you'd expect.

[tree monkey]

1 minute ago, IanD said:

 

Telford is a bit meh, Bridge Inn had good beer and decent (and cheap!) pub food when we were there, Aqueduct had excellent beer but didn't eat there. Great view though...

 

 

That fairly well chimes with my information, but apparently the food at the aqueduct is good, or was last time I heard any reviews 

[cuthound]

4 hours ago, IanD said:

 

Just don't assume the locks at Grindley will be quick, we've had to wait between 1h and 3h to get through... 😞

 

Back in the days before Grindley Brook had a lock-keeper, I was stuck in a queue for over 4 hours. I dispatched Mrs Hound to see why we weren't moving.  It turned out there were a lot of boats coming down, who just kept entering the staircase, so no one could go up. 

 

Mrs Hound sorted it out eventually, and since then I always try to overnight at Grindley Brook and go through first thing in the morning.

[FredDrift]

2 hours ago, tree monkey said:

2 hours ago, FredDrift said:

That'll be the Bridge Inn at Chirk Bank.

Depends on the aqueduct, there's also the Telford and the aqueduct Inn by the big bridge 

Righto... it depends on the aqueduct but... 'the big bridge' wasn't mentioned where specifically, Chirk was...

 

4 hours ago, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

at Chirk there was a pub I think beside the aqueduct but I forget its name

The Aqueduct Inn is (as far as I am aware) in Froncysylite and the Telford Inn, is in Trefor - one at each end of 'the big bridge' but neither are in Chirk (unlike the Bridge Inn).

 

 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

1 hour ago, FredDrift said:

Righto... it depends on the aqueduct but... 'the big bridge' wasn't mentioned where specifically, Chirk was...

 

The Aqueduct Inn is (as far as I am aware) in Froncysylite and the Telford Inn, is in Trefor - one at each end of 'the big bridge' but neither are in Chirk (unlike the Bridge Inn).

 

 

Just dug out my notes and it was the Bridge Inn,

so before the aquaduct,

my notes said it was a friendly pub,

and that I had 6 pts of Guiness, watched Wales and Italy (6 nations) and chatted to Terry off the trip boat,

 

 

and the gloomy church is in Whitchurch where I went 4 pubs but didn’t note what they were called

 

[Ronaldo47]

When we first did the Llangollen, we hired a Friday-to-Friday boat and virtually had the canal to ourself for most of Saturday. But that was more than 20 years ago.  

[Lady M]

We started at Trefor;  it was a long time ago.

[robtheplod]

Love the Llangollen, you get to experience everything on one canal - bridges/lift bridges/tunnels/aqueducts/narrow bits/locks etc....

[doratheexplorer]

I don't know if this has been answered already, but I assume 4 days actually means, pick up Friday afternoon, return first thing monday morning?  If I'm wrong and you've somehow got 4 full days cruising, my advice would be totally different.

 

Assuming it's the former and given that you've implied you've done the Shroppie north of Nantwich, I'd narrowly go in favour of the Llangollen Canal, but don't assume you'll get any further than Whitchurch.  The trouble is, you'll struggle to get further than the top of Hurlston on the first afternoon, then see how far you get on the second day, but delays at Grindley Brook will impact that.

 

Your other suggestion of south on the Shroppie would involve a lot of locks so you probably wouldn't actually get very far.

 

If it were me, I'd head down the Middlewich branch, unless you've already done that.

40 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

Love the Llangollen, you get to experience everything on one canal - bridges/lift bridges/tunnels/aqueducts/narrow bits/locks etc....

I really doubt they'll see any aqueducts or tunnels.

[Tacet]

18 hours ago, agg221 said:

In my opinion if you are going up there it is well worth going all the way to the end. We didn’t in 1997 and finally rectified that last year.

 

Alec

The end is not where it used to be.

[nealeST]

10 hours ago, doratheexplorer said:

but I assume 4 days actually means, pick up Friday afternoon,

picking up Monday return Friday morning. I did the same time frame last year from Anderton to Nantwich and back. That was very easy. My Swedish wife had concerns initially about 18 century ‘elf and safety. Kids loved it. I’ve done this before but all new to them. I’m not keen on going south now so it’s either venture as far as we can get along the Llangollen or just head to Chester as Arthur suggested.

thanks for all the input. One day I will have my own boat…I figure in about 2 years…Al least now my kids are hooked.😊

the boat museum we’ve seen a number of times…. I’m in Liverpool half the year when I’m not in Sweden…

On 22/02/2024 at 17:41, booke23 said:

you'll be hard pressed to make the aquaduct and back in 4 days.

That’s a shame. I’d happily cruise 12 hours a day. My wife is unlikely to sanction that….

[IanD]

1 minute ago, nealeST said:

picking up Monday return Friday morning. I did the same time frame last year from Anderton to Nantwich and back. That was very easy. My Swedish wife had concerns initially about 18 century ‘elf and safety. Kids loved it. I’ve done this before but all new to them. I’m not keen on going south now so it’s either venture as far as we can get along the Llangollen or just head to Chester as Arthur suggested.

thanks for all the input. One day I will have my own boat…I figure in about 2 years…Al least now my kids are hooked.😊

the boat museum we’ve seen a number of times…. I’m in Liverpool half the year when I’m not in Sweden…

That’s a shame. I’d happily cruise 12 hours a day. My wife is unlikely to sanction that….

You've only got 3.5 days then, allowing a few hours Monday afternoon and an hour Friday morning, so little chance of getting to the magic aqueduct unless you travel non-stop from dawn to dusk -- and maybe not even then given possible delays... 😞

[nealeST]

Yes, I could actually just hire from Whitchurch instead? Or Wrenbury…would you recommend it? I’ll ask the kids…only have the provisional booking just now. 
 

actually if I show up early Monday they’ll let me out a bit earlier…they’re quite nice. We did six hours as soon as we got the boat last year before stopping…

[booke23]

3 hours ago, IanD said:

You've only got 3.5 days then, allowing a few hours Monday afternoon and an hour Friday morning, so little chance of getting to the magic aqueduct unless you travel non-stop from dawn to dusk -- and maybe not even then given possible delays... 😞

 

I reckon it's about 45hrs cruising to get there and back, so agreed, he'd literally have to travel from dawn to dusk to do it in three days. I love long day cruising, but even I would draw the line at dawn to dusk cruising in June...or more specifically 4:46am - 9:40pm!

 

3 hours ago, nealeST said:

actually if I show up early Monday they’ll let me out a bit earlier…they’re quite nice. We did six hours as soon as we got the boat last year before stopping…

 

In that case I'd give it a go if your crew are willing!

Edited February 23 by booke23

[Paul C]

11 hours ago, nealeST said:

Yes, I could actually just hire from Whitchurch instead? Or Wrenbury…would you recommend it? I’ll ask the kids…only have the provisional booking just now. 
 

actually if I show up early Monday they’ll let me out a bit earlier…they’re quite nice. We did six hours as soon as we got the boat last year before stopping…

 

Definitely worth hiring from Whitchurch (ABC), Ellesmere (ABC, at Blackwater Meadow Marina) or Whixhall Marina (end of the Prees Branch, Pea Green Boats).

 

The Llangollen canal is very different in character at the "top" end than the "bottom" end. It do-able in a week from eg Nantwich, but in 3.5 days, its a stretch. Lots of people hire from the above, for good reason. I am sure there's a few other hire bases I've forgotten too!

[Lady M]

In my opinion, the last bit of the Llangollen canal from the aqueduct to the town is by far the best section.  (Also the first section of canal I ever cruised on.)

[booke23]

1 hour ago, Lady M said:

In my opinion, the last bit of the Llangollen canal from the aqueduct to the town is by far the best section.  (Also the first section of canal I ever cruised on.)

 

Yes, it's spectacular. 

[IanD]

5 hours ago, Paul C said:

 

Definitely worth hiring from Whitchurch (ABC), Ellesmere (ABC, at Blackwater Meadow Marina) or Whixhall Marina (end of the Prees Branch, Pea Green Boats).

 

The Llangollen canal is very different in character at the "top" end than the "bottom" end. It do-able in a week from eg Nantwich, but in 3.5 days, its a stretch. Lots of people hire from the above, for good reason. I am sure there's a few other hire bases I've forgotten too!

 

Another tip -- if you're going to get to Llangollen and stay overnight there, it's much less busy at weekends because all the hire boats tend to be there midweek. Which won't work with a Monday-Friday hire, you'll be there the same time as everyone else... 😞

 

The top end is fantastic, lower down can be a bit boring.

 

You could get to Llangollen and back from Whitchurch Marina but that probably wouldn't give you an overnight stay in Llangollen, starting from Whixall Marina (Pea Green Boats) would.

Edited February 24 by IanD

[nealeST]

Thanks all for the input and suggestions. I’ve slid my booking over to Wrenbury now instead so I have an option to stay on the Llangollen but I’m now more persuaded to go to Chester and turn around at the boat museum. Canal plan has that down at a sedate 3 days and a couple of hours….the south end of the aqueduct remains possible should I choose to go the other way…🙂

Edited February 24 by nealeST
Xtra few words

[Ken X]

If you go to Chester you may be able to partake in a Bunbury shuffle. Always a good sport. 🙂

[nealeST]

2 hours ago, Ken X said:

If you go to Chester you may be able to partake in a Bunbury shuffle. Always a good sport. 🙂

Three into two with sideways movement… ? I just watched Silver Foxes demonstrate with a hire boat alongside. 😬

[Ken X]

7 hours ago, nealeST said:

Three into two with sideways movement… ? I just watched Silver Foxes demonstrate with a hire boat alongside. 😬

Thats the one.  We hire out of Bunbury every now and then and usually ascend with another boat to save time and water.  Helps out a first time hirer too as a staircase can be a bit daunting.  The yard staff often pitch in to get us away.  Often a single is coming down so round we go.🙂

[Hudds Lad]

15 hours ago, nealeST said:

Thanks all for the input and suggestions. I’ve slid my booking over to Wrenbury now instead so I have an option to stay on the Llangollen but I’m now more persuaded to go to Chester and turn around at the boat museum. Canal plan has that down at a sedate 3 days and a couple of hours….the south end of the aqueduct remains possible should I choose to go the other way…🙂

It's certainly sedate crawling past the Golden Nook moorings for 40mins or so  

[agg221]

The run up to Chester is certainly pleasant. We will be doing it again ourselves for the Easter gathering in just over a month. It should fit in fairly well with your preferred daily hours too, and give time for a walk round Chester, which is a particularly nice place to moor (we prefer by the city walls to down in the basin).

 

If you do decide to go up the Llangollen I think you could make it to the end from Wrenbury. It's not far from Wrenbury to Willeymoor and we did there to the end and back in slightly longer days than you plan, but we did have a 3hr delay at Grindley Brook on the way up and nearly a 2hr delay at New Marton. We are also particularly deep-drafted which made it very slow going on the way up (below 2mph) so I think factor in that lot and you could do it, but you would have to plan the journey more around stopping at the right time, rather than choosing places to stop. Something to bear in mind though is that once above New Marton I don't recall there being any physical obstacles which require crew (no locks and I don't think there are any lift bridges) which means that if you are happy to keep steering and the crew are happy to sit in the front as the boat travels along there isn't really any limit to the hours you travel beyond your willingness to steer and, being a hire boat, the hours of darkness. Where this does give you a particular advantage is that most boats tie up from about 4pm. That can give you several hours of clear running without delays - particularly good if you do the narrow sections on the feeder and Grindley Brook at such times. We went through the feeder in the dark on the way up (not a hire boat) and came back down in the morning before people were generally heading up for the day.

 

Alec

 

[nealeST]

Thanks Alec, June 24 is longest day of the year…give or take….won’t  be dark until after 10! Suits us. My eldest son very capable as well. Now we are spoilt for choice!